VfB Stuttgart 2-1 SC Freiburg (AET)DFB-Pokal Semi-Final

Substitute Tiago Tomás produced one of the moments of this season’s DFB-Pokal — a breathtaking 119th-minute backheel — to send defending champions VfB Stuttgart into a second consecutive German Cup final, edging out Baden-Württemberg rivals SC Freiburg in an extraordinary extra-time thriller.

After 120 intense minutes, VfB Stuttgart emerged 2-1 victors over SC Freiburg in their DFB-Pokal 2025-26 semi-final at the MHPArena in Stuttgart, Germany. The packed-out arena witnessed an evening of drama, twists, and barely believable football, culminating in a moment of individual brilliance that sent 60,000 Stuttgart supporters into raptures.Stuttgart will now aim to foil a Bayern Munich domestic double in the German Cup final in Berlin on 23 May.

A Hostile Stage Is Set

Stuttgart fans set off pyrotechnics before the German Cup semi-final, creating a fevered atmosphere inside the MHP Arena. This was no ordinary cup tie — it was a clash between two clubs from the same south-western German state, separated by just 80 kilometres of motorway, but divided by football pride and the very real prospect of a trip to Berlin’s Olympiastadion for the showpiece final. DFB-Pokal holders Stuttgart were hoping to bounce back from defeat last time out, while Freiburg arrived looking for a fifth straight victory. For Stuttgart manager Sebastian Hoeneß, this represented an opportunity to supplement a fine Bundesliga campaign with back-to-back cup glory. For Julian Schuster’s Freiburg, it was a chance to make history — Die Breisgau-Brasilianer had already reached the last four of the Europa League after thrashing La Liga’s Celta Vigo 6-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals. The prospect of a domestic and European double shimmered enticingly on the horizon.Sebastian Hoeneß made four changes to his line-up that had succumbed to a 4-2 defeat at Bayern Munich at the weekend, restoring regular starters Deniz Undav, Ermedin Demirović, Maximilian Mittelstädt, and Nikolas Nartey.

First Half: Freiburg Strike Against the Run of Play

The opening exchanges were feisty and scrappy, with both sides content to feel each other out. Stuttgart were the aggressors in the initial exchanges, striving to create openings. In just the seventh minute, Ermedin Demirović played in Deniz Undav, but the striker’s strike from outside the box sailed over.Yet for all Stuttgart’s early possession, it was Freiburg who looked the more dangerous on the break. Maximilian Eggestein forced Alexander Nübel into a fine save early on after getting on the end of Vincenzo Grifo’s precise pass. It was a warning Stuttgart failed to heed.After Angelo Stiller’s wayward backpass gifted Freiburg a corner, the visitors made them pay from the set-piece, with Vincenzo Grifo’s teasing delivery met by the head of Matthias Ginter before Eggestein stuck out a foot to help the ball home in the 28th minute. It was a goal that smacked of opportunism — but in a cup semi-final, that counts for everything.The remainder of the first half saw Stuttgart press forward in increasingly frantic fashion. Jamie Leweling fired wide and Deniz Undav saw his goal-bound shot blocked by Igor Matanovic, with Stuttgart’s pressure continuing into the second half. Yet the half-time whistle sounded with Freiburg very much in command, leading 1-0 and growing in confidence with every passing minute.

Second Half: Stuttgart’s Bench Changes the Game

Hoeneß moved decisively at the break, and then again shortly after the restart. Substitute Bilal El Khannouss entered on 63 minutes and immediately brought urgency and directness to the Stuttgart attack that had been conspicuously lacking.Stiller saw his prodded attempt saved on the line by Florian Müller — the Freiburg goalkeeper was in exceptional form, denying Stuttgart at every turn.Then came the moment that levelled the tie. El Khannouss broke away and surged towards the Freiburg goal before passing to Undav on his right, who unleashed a splendid right-footed shot on first touch to beat Müller in the 70th minute. The MHP Arena erupted.The final quarter of normal time swung dramatically from end to end. Yuiko Suzuki squandered a great chance to restore Freiburg’s lead when his shot was blocked at the last moment by Ramon Hendriks. Stuttgart, for their part, grew increasingly dominant but could not find a second goal. The tie moved to extra time locked at 1-1.

Extra Time: Chaos, Drama and a Moment of Pure Magic

The additional 30 minutes were breathless. In the first minute of extra time, the introduced Lucas Höler poked the ball into the Stuttgart net, but was called back by referee Tobias Welz — a decision that proved deeply controversial, with Freiburg head coach Julian Schuster and television pundit Bastian Schweinsteiger both agreeing it was a wrong call after the match. Stuttgart continued to press. Five minutes later, El Khannouss again combined well, finding Undav who set up Führich but his shot clattered only against the post In the 104th minute, Müller was again the hero, producing a world-class reflex save to deny El Khannouss. The Freiburg goalkeeper was single-handedly keeping his side alive.Freiburg were forced into a change when Philipp Treu went off injured on 113 minutes, further disrupting their shape as penalties began to loom large. With just seconds of normal extra time remaining, the drama reached its crescendo.Fresh from the bench at 118 minutes, Badredine Bouanani squared for Tomás, who steered in from the right side of the box but the manner of the finish defied belief. Substitute Tiago Tomás won the game for Stuttgart with an exquisite backheel, sending the ball into the far corner with Müller left rooted. Cue an explosion of noise at the MHP Arena.

Looking Ahead: A Monumental Final Awaits

In the German Cup final in Berlin on May 23, Stuttgart will face Bayern Munich, who beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 in the other semi-final. The occasion carries the weight of history: not since RB Leipzig in 2021-22 and 2022-23 has a team won the DFB-Pokal in consecutive seasons, but Stuttgart are daring to dream. Their opponents are formidable. A Stuttgart win in Berlin could deny Bayern a domestic double which could itself become a treble if Vincent Kompany’s side win the Champions League. The back-to-back cup finals for Stuttgart couldn’t be more different — last year they overcame third-tier Arminia Bielefeld, while this time they face a record-breaking Bayern who beat Stuttgart 4-2 just last weekend. For Freiburg, the heartbreak of Thursday night must quickly be set aside. The Breisgau club face Borussia Dortmund on Sunday in the Bundesliga before turning their attention to the Europa League semi-final first leg away at Sporting Braga on 30 April. An extraordinary season continues, even if the dream of a DFB-Pokal final has been extinguished in the most agonising of fashions.